St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-02-12
SRANo.S KINGDOM.
me Aormon Deapo11Dn WhScA Exlbto4 u
Mlchlgan 0oaA0 YGaFs Ago.

me Aoemo0 Oeap0110n which GXbto4 u
Michigan Some Years Ago.
The Mormon colony on Beaver Island
was established by James Jesse StranS.
who was . native Of New York, and
was an enthusiastic follower of Joseph
Smith. When the Mormon colony al
Nauvoo was broken up, and Brigham
Young had started across the plains
with the most Of the Mormons, Strang
and few others determined to establish
settlement on one Of the islands Of
Lake Michigan. In May. lS47, Strans
went to Beaver Island and established
a camp. and in year had twenty
Mormon families established there. BY
the middle of 1Si9 he had two hundred
families. The fishermen and other
previous settlers on the island objected
much to this settlement, and continual
quarrels and fights occurred till Strang
one day armed his followers and drove
every other settler away from the
island. The Mormons were very in
dustrious. They built . city. which
they called st. James. cleared roads
through the island. and built mills and
docks ami vessels. Strang sent out
missionaries with such good success
that in few years he had = colony Of
several thousand. In 1850 the church
was recognized rs kingdom. with
Strang as King, and also "apostlc.
prophet, seer, revelatOr and trans
lator." Lands were now appor-
toned among the people. and taxes
were paid Ivy tithes. Schools were es-
tabliShed. royal press" pub
lishcd daily paper called the Northern
Islander. and \ magnificent tabernacle
was built. The code Of law in this
kingdom was very strict; the use of tea,
coffee. tobacco and all intoxicating
liquors was forbidden, and women were
all compelled to wear the ''bloomer"
costume. Polygamy was sanctioned.
but practiced by only few. as no ono
was allowed to take an extra wife un-
til he could show himself able to sup
port her. Strang himself had five wives.
but no other member Of the church had
more than three. Strang is described
as a man of light complexion. high fore
head and vigorous frame. He was fluent
If speech. suavc i'm manner, but ruling
his kingdom with absolute power. He
cultivated friendly relations with the
Indians. and scrupulously avoided coli
lisions with the United States authori-
ties. At last. however, his many enc
mics among the Gentiles placed his con-
duct in SO offensive light that United
States officers were sent to arrest him
for treason. They took him to Detroit
for trial. but he argued his own case 20
well that he was acquitted. After his
return to his colony he became more
strict than ever. Finding some of his
subjects indulging in tea. tobacco and
like sinful stimulants. he sternly de-
clarcd: 1.-The laws of God shall be kept
in this community or men shall walk
over my dead body" Finally some men
whom he had whipped and expelled
from the kingdom swore vengeance on
him. and June l6. 1855. when Strang
went down to the shore to visit Gov
ship in the harbor. he was shot
by two men in hiding on the dock. and
lied some days later from the effect Of
his wound. As soon rs it was known
that he was dying. the members Of the |
colony began to scatter, The settlers
from the main shore thea made a raid |
upon the island. gave the Mormons ono
lay to go. then destroyed all their prop |
rrty. and burned the city and its tabor
aacle. Inter Ocean.